US President Trump was against the planned EU-duties of the EU and threatens further measures. If the EU does not give in, it will hit wine and champagne – up to 200 percent with tariffs.
US President Donald Trump has reacted to the countermeasures of the EU with a new customs announcement: If the EU does not take its planned tariffs against American whiskey back, the United States would raise tariffs, champagne and other alcoholic beverages from EU countries in the amount of 200 percent, he threatened on his online platform “Truth Social”.
Trump emphasized the planned 50 percent surcharge on US Whiskey. This customs is “ugly”, he continued. Once again he insulted the EU as “one of the most hostile and abusive tax and customs authorities in the world”. It was only founded for the purpose of using the United States.
The EU had announced against duties for different US products for April 1st because on Wednesday night on Wednesday, US import duties came into force on steel and aluminum products of 25 percent. It is the first tariffs in Trump’s term, of which the EU and thus also Germany are directly affected.
France in particular would be affected
According to the Statistics Office Eurostat, wines worth 4.9 billion euros were exported to the USA last year. That was 29 percent of the total wine exports from the EU. Almost 40 percent of deliveries to the United States came from France.
The United States is the most important market for French exporters, especially for wine and cognac. Last year, sales had increased by five percent, a total of 3.8 billion euros. So far, according to the world trade organization, no tariffs on wines and spirits from the EU have been raised on the EU, with the exception of two percent on sparkling wines.
France Minister of Commerce Doesn’t want to give in threats
The French Minister of Commerce Laurent Saint Martin then said on platform X that France would not give in to the threats and protect its industries. “Donald Trump introduces the escalation of the trade war he chosen himself. France is still determined to react together with the European Commission and our partners,” he wrote.
The association of French wine and spirits exporters criticized that its member companies were “sacrificed” in the trade dispute. The tariffs announced by the EU on US Whiskey “moved us directly into the crosshairs of the US President,” said CEO Nicolas Ozanam of the AFP news agency.
In the United States, the bourbon manufacturers are urging the president to end the customs dispute. “The spiritual sector between the USA and the EU is a role model for fair and mutual trade and has had zerozölle since 1997,” quotes the AP Chris Swonger, President and CEO of Distilled Spirits Council. “We urgently ask President Trump to complete a spirits agreement with the EU to return to zero duties,” it said.
EU ready for talks
Meanwhile, the EU signaled willingness to talk. According to the EU Commission, trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic immediately contacted his interlocutors in Washington, reported Reuters news agency. Negotiations would now be prepared.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had emphasized on Wednesday that the tariffs of the United States were “bad for business and even worse for consumers”.
